


Either me or him

by Raven_Song



Series: Star Wars Oneshots [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: A wild banther chase across the galaxy, Armitage Hux Being An Asshole, Armitage Hux Hates Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux is So Done, Canon Compliant, HateShip, Knights of Ren make a cameo, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Has No Chill, Kylo is pining after Rey, Kylux - Freeform, POV Armitage Hux, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22726048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_Song/pseuds/Raven_Song
Summary: In the wake of the Battle at Crait, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren searches the galaxy for an artifact that could be the key to unlocking his peculiar bond with Rey. His search takes the First Order to the jungle-world of Iurilia. Armitage Hux accompanies him deep into a deadly temple, seeking answers or an opportunity for revenge against his rival...
Series: Star Wars Oneshots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601797
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. This is bigger than life, this is more than a game

**Author's Note:**

  * For [@mysterio833](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=%40mysterio833).



> I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my Kylux ramblings! This was originally going to be one chapter, but it quickly spiraled out of control so I've decided to split it into thirds. I had an absolute blast writing this one, and I definitely want to write more. 
> 
> Work and chapter titles come from This Is War by WAR*HALL. That song _screams_ Kylux.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments feed this writer's soul and are immensely appreciated ^^

General Armitage Hux was many things: ruthless, cunning, manipulative, calculating. His sharp eye and quick wit had helped him immensely on his journey to the top ranks of the First Order, as had his skills as a masterful orator. Rousing the troops and drawing up battle strategies. That was where Hux shone the most.

He was not, however, a patient man. Especially when he was being dragged on a wild-banther chase across the galaxy. Doubly so when it was at the behest of a man for whom his loathing grew exponentially each day. It was, Hux supposed, only to be expected. The only person in the entirety of the First Order who could challenge his position was another mongrel. The fact that his rival happened to be the collection of childish rage, dead stares and snappy one liners would never fail to shake him to his core. _Kylo Ren._

Hux wasn’t blind. Years of fighting his way to the top had left him with a sharp mind and a discerning eye. Even he had to admit that the similarities between him and the man he hated were striking. Both sons of a powerful legacy: Ren the child of an Alderaanian princess and a decorated Rebellion hero. Hux was the child of a kitchen girl and a former officer of the Galactic Empire, later a General of the First Order. They had been lonely boys who resented their parents. Boys who had matured into dangerous men who would achieve their goals no matter the cost or collateral damage. They had both killed their fathers, Hux a tad more indirectly, it’s true. Ren had done it with his own hands. Well, lightsaber. The bastard seemed desperate to show up Hux.

 _At least I’m not dragging the entirety of the First Order to this forsaken planet because of a girl,_ Hux mused. 

He swatted another insect away from his face with a scowl. Iurilia was a jungle world in the Eastern Reaches. Remote, primitive, and sweltering. The trees were vibrant hues of magenta, emerald, and cerulian. Hux hated it. Every minute spent on the planet’s surface made his perfectly pomaded hair droop with the intolerable humidity, made his skin blotchy with heat and made his mood sour. Even here, in the relative comfort of a walker, the atmosphere was unbearable. But he was a General of the First Order. He wouldn’t give his men the pleasure of seeing his discomfort. 

Instead, Hux imagined throwing daggers at the man in front of him.

Kylo Ren somehow took the environment in stride, the bastard. He acclimated to every world they visited with a grace that stoked the bitter resentment in Hux's gut. Surely, this came from the royal side. He had never met Ren’s mother, who had been nothing but a pain in his side, but he was certain that she had this sort of grace. She had to. Princesses were supposed to be graceful and magnanimous.

Or perhaps, this was the influence of his father, the smuggler. A chameleon’s ability to adapt to his surroundings for survival and profit. Hux had always hated the stories of Han Solo’s exploits. What sane person would take the risks he did when the chance of survival was slim to none? Odds like that were what got a man killed. Ren did seem to share his father’s recklessness. Why not his calm facade as well?

It mattered little. 

As if sensing his thoughts, Ren turned back and fixed his severe gaze on the seething man behind him. His eyebrow twitched. Hux could almost hear the silent query dripping with sarcasm.

_Having trouble, General Hux?_

He fought to swallow the rage that roiled beneath the surface and met Ren’s gaze cooly. A quirk of his eyebrow conveyed his imagined retort. _Of course not, Supreme Leader. I’m merely enjoying the view._

A tiny flicker of amusement crinkled the corner of Ren’s eyes but only for a moment. It vanished between one heartbeat and the next. 

The man’s sudden bouts of humanity troubled the general. It had only been after Crait that he’d begun to see the cracks in Kylo Ren’s mask. A sigh of exhaustion after a long and tiresome meeting with the other generals. A ghost of a smile when a small child had placed a delicate white flower in his hand on a visit to Naboo. 

Most of all, Hux was troubled by the lance of pain he caught in Ren’s eyes whenever someone mentioned the scavenger girl. They were forbidden from saying her name. None of them dared to call her the Jedi. The first time someone had been unfortunate enough to do it, Ren had pinned them to the ceiling with the Force and let them plummet. His temper was a sight to behold, and Hux was making sure he wouldn’t be on the receiving end of it.

“Sir,” one of the pilots turned. “We’ve reached the village. What are your orders?”

“Bring us to the ground,” Ren rumbled. “They will send a welcoming party. Hux and his retinue will join me.”

“Not your dogs?” Hux asked. Ren fixed him with an empty stare.

“My knights are hunters, General. This is a diplomatic mission, for the time being. They will remain here unless their services are required. I pray that they aren't.” One of the knights, _Vicrul,_ Hux thought his name was, grunted his disapproval from the corner the knights were clustered in. They looked like a cluster of black beetles, all of whom apparently took their fashion cues from Kylo Ren. Hux would gladly have called the attire absolutely ghastly had anyone asked for his opinion of it. 

He wanted to point out that a purely diplomatic mission wouldn’t warrant the presence of the knights in the first place, but he held his tongue. Not that he would ever admit it, but the Knights of Ren terrified him. All just talented enough with the Force to accentuate their natural violence but not enough to learn control. With his dogs so close by, voicing displeasure would end with a crushed windpipe for Hux. Now was not the time to anger Ren.

“Very well. After you, Supreme Leader.” Hux followed him out into the jungle below. 

The native people were kind. Their village was little more than sparse dwellings clustered around the trees like a beehive. Their hosts were clothed in the vivid greens, blues, and magentas of the surrounding landscape. He noted that the colors only magnified the Iurilians’ pale blue hair, their dark skin and their carmine eyes. Hux thought the color palette of the Iurilian people was garish and tasteless, of course. Rather unsettling, those eyes. It was such a violent color. Too similar to blood for Hux's taste but undeniably entrancing.

Nothing like the sleek black suit he wore. Which was covered in mud and dripping with moisture. 

Hux really did hate this planet. 

The elder stepped forward to address them. The metal beads woven through her twisted hair chimed gently as she shuffled to face them. The old woman relied heavily on a cane, gnarled fingers wrapped around equally ancient wood. She spoke in a voice like falling rocks. 

_“Leh lehshu Szo shu Szo ahgraleh. Vangra ah Szo iaialeh graleh?”_

Hux wasn’t familiar with this particular dialect. He turned to his translator droid with the question already on his lips when Ren replied to the crone in the same grating language.

 _“Leh grati toahSzo shu gra AhSzo graah. Ahleh leh graleh ah, leh' toleh Szo shuleh ia toleh Ahleh Ahleh.”_ The old woman cooed in surprise to hear her native language.

He can speak Iurilian. Pretentious prick.

Trapped in the uncomfortable position of being incapable of following a conversation due to language barriers, Hux occupied himself by scanning the assembly. Farmers, mainly. Even though their attire was brightly colored, the garments themselves were of a simple and ergonomic design.

He felt the weight of someone’s gaze and found a young Iurilian girl staring at him baldly. He was pinned by her carmine eyes. Not knowing what else to do, he nodded to her stiffly in greeting. The girl merely gaped, her hand reaching up to snag on the sleeve of her mother’s tunic.

Hux shifted his weight, suddenly anxious under the child’s scrutiny. Were his boots not polished? Was there something in his teeth? Surely his hair didn’t look _that_ atrocious after the blasted humidity?

Or had the little creature simply never seen a First Order general before? It was most likely the latter, so Hux forced his mind away from the nagging stare of the girl and back to the conversation between Ren and the ancient woman. From the looks of things, it was wrapping up.

The crone pronounced another declaration in that ugly language of hers. Her people cheered. What on earth had Ren told them? Those gnarled hands reached up towards Ren’s face. The cold chill of fear crawled up Hux's spine. This woman had signed her own death warrant. He tensed, already anticipating the erratic buzzing and blinding flash of Ren’s lightsaber slashing down to rend the woman in two.

To his shock, the Supreme Leader bowed his head until the tiny woman’s fingers brushed against his cheeks. She rested his forehead against her own and muttered something no one but Ren could hear. His reply was soft. Kind, even. It made Hux’s stomach turn, so he shifted his gaze away.

The Iurilians shuffled off to do whatever it was they had been doing. Ren turned to the perplexed Hux and his entourage.

“Ef’e has welcomed us into her village,” he reported. “We are free to stay here and share their food and dwellings as long as we need to.” The other officials relaxed a modicum. Hux stepped forward.

“And the secret knowledge you’re so keen on discovering? Did the woman tell you where it is?”

“It’s in a temple. Twenty klicks from our current position.” Ren squinted at the faint haze of sunlight peeking through the misty skies, considering. “Iurilian day cycles last approximately fourteen standard hours. I can take a light speeder and reach the temple in mere minutes. That will leave me plenty of time to search before night falls.”

“Sir, we can’t let you go alone.” Admiral Prescott stepped forward, her brows furrowed. “You’re the Supreme Leader. If you die in that temple, then the First Order will fall into chaos and the war with the Resistance will be lost.”

 _That’s an exaggeration,_ Hux thought to himself. _Ren hardly does any proper leading. I’m the one who puts in the hard work devising strategies and alloting troops and resources. All he does is stalk around in that ridiculous cape of his and scream at people. If that isn’t bad enough, now he skulks through the ship like a hulking shadow and lunges into the light when there’s news of the scavenger. The First Order is being run by an overgrown child with a lightsaber._

Ren scoffed. “I don’t require any assistance on this mission. I’m going alone.” The officers exchanged apprehensive glances.

“I’m sorry sir. Protocol dictates you bring at least one small unit with you. One officer and four troopers.” Ren wavered on the knife’s edge of outrage and acquiescence. For one tense moment, Hux thought he would actually snap and obliterate them all. Instead, the man ran a hand through his tousled black hair and sighed deeply.

“Fine. You four, come with me.” The troopers he had gestured to stepped forward.

“And the officer who will accompany you, Supreme Leader?” Surprising everyone, not least of all himself, Hux found himself stepping forward.

“I will join Supreme Leader Ren on his expedition.” The man stared at him, his dark eyes calculating. Shocked titters erupted from the assembly.

“But General-” He raised his hand to silence Prescott’s protest.

“Iurilia is a peaceful planet, Admiral. If Ren has indeed brokered an understanding and peace with the natives, I shouldn’t be in any danger accompanying him on this fool’s errand.”

“General Hux—” his aide began.

“You’ve got to be joking!” Prescott gasped.

“I am most certainly not.” Hux stared Ren down cooly, ignoring the waves of rage radiating off of the tall man. “I serve the First Order. In fact, I have dedicated my life to it. If the Supreme Leader has decided this is a vital mission for our expansion, it is my sworn duty to ensure its success. For the good of the First Order.” Ren met Hux's gaze with that empty stare he had perfected, but Hux wouldn’t back down. 

The gathered crowd watched them. Theirs was a battle of wills; it was unclear who would win. The entourage whispered to each other, their nerves breaking the deafening silence. Even the villagers stood watching the invisible power struggle. 

Hux could feel a bead of sweat dripping down his brow. A muscle in Ren’s cheek twitched then stilled. The seconds dragged out. Or had it been a minute? Hux couldn’t tell. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from speaking prematurely. Just when he was about to give in, Ren scowled.

“Fine,” he snapped, jabbing a finger in the general’s face. “Just don’t get in my way.” With that, Kylo Ren stalked off towards the speeders that had accompanied their walkers.

Hux let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and adjusted his suit jacket. The others stared at him, mouths agape in shock or awe, he couldn’t tell. The Admiral shook herself from her stupor and dragged the others away, shooting Hux a look over her shoulder that simply said _good luck._ Sucking in another short breath, he turned and followed Ren into the Iurilian jungle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations from Iurilian
> 
> We welcome you to our village. What is your business here?
> 
> We are searching for a Sith artifact. Once we have it, we'll leave your home in peace Wise One.


	2. Like a lightning bolt knockin' at your door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gathered men stepped forward, peering into the void before them. It was an uninviting sort of darkness. The air from within smelled of mildew and the ancient decay of cold, damp places.
> 
> “Charming,” Hux quipped. His sardonic reply was promptly ignored.
> 
> “Can you feel it?” Ren asked, breathless. “This place is strong with the Force.”
> 
> “Well how would I know?” Hux snapped. “I’m not a Jedi.” 
> 
> The corner of Ren’s mouth twitched in a facsimile of a smile. “No, you most certainly are not.” Not even giving Hux the opportunity to be offended, he vanished into the darkness.
> 
> “Lovely,” Hux sighed as he followed the Supreme Leader into the mouth of the abyss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow I forgot to mention that this fic is dedicated to my dear friend @mysterio833
> 
> The hateship continues! I hope you all are enjoying this journey as much as I am. There are some heavy Indiana Jones influences in this chapter, which seems only right.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are very much appreciated!

The journey to the Iurilian temple was short and blissfully silent, save for the drone of their speeder engines. Kylo Ren seemed content to sulk over the presence of Hux and his troopers. In true dramatic fashion, he sulked by showing off his excellent piloting skills, which was fine by Hux. Let Ren take all the gambles. Hux had no need to pull risky stunts for show. The speeder merely needed to get him to his destination safely and efficiently. 

At the very least, the velocity at which they traveled rendered the Iurilian environment tolerable. Hux no longer felt like he was in imminent danger of heatstroke. He could handle the abrasive whistle of wind in his ears for a few minutes of cool air against his skin.

Zipping through the underbrush was a sort of condensed tour of the planet’s biosphere. Golden simians with three sets of eyes chattered irritably in the high branches- some even threw rotten fruit down from the canopy to rain on the speeders. Small rodents with fur like lapis scuttled into their burrows as they passed. A serpent flicked its tongue, its chartreuse coils draped over low-hanging branches like vines.

The insects were massive. Great winged flies that shimmered with iridescent plating lounged lazily on bell-shaped flowers, sipping delicately at the nectar within. And the pollinators were round and white as clouds, riding the winds with silk parachutes from tree to tree. Hux hated the bloodsuckers most of all. They were translucent, nearly invisible until it was too late. They seemed to love Hux. 

Ren, of course, was in touch with the Force and kept all the animals away from himself. At least, that’s what Hux assumed, given that he hadn’t once seen the man dash away the pests.

Slowly, the temple came into sight. In fact, it was nearly impossible to miss. It was carved into the side of a sandy cliff that rose high above the colorful jungle canopy. The highest arches and spires of the temple’s face must’ve been a thousand feet above the ground. Even a man like Hux who believed in no higher power than his own ambition was overcome with reverential awe.

The temple’s twelve columns were intricately patterned into whorls and fractals. Art that, no doubt, revealed some sacred language that only those educated in Iurilia’s history could uncover. Carved by hand centuries ago, the whole effect of the temple face was like rivulets of water climbing up ancient tree trunks.

Between the colossal columns, towering statues bowed their heads as if in prayer. Most of the figures were human, though there was also a Twi’lek, a Lasat, and some species Hux found himself unable to identify. Each statue held their hands uniquely, giving the effect of a dance being passed from figure to figure. A different man would wonder if the objects clutched in their stony hands held significance, and what they symbolized to the ancient people. To Hux, though, they were just relics of a bygone age. 

The door, if it could be called such, stood twenty feet high, made of the same sandy stone as the rest of the bluffs. The edges were carved in the same intricate patterns as the rest of the temple. 

“That’s got to be an overcompensation for something,” one of the troopers muttered. He bit his tongue when Hux shot him a venomous glare. Ignoring the man’s comment, Ren strode up to the massive doors, placing a single gloved hand onto the smooth stone surface. He bowed his head, eyes closing in concentration.

Hux found himself caught up in dreaming how easy it would be to kill his rival. A quick blaster bolt would do it, but Ren had been known to catch blaster bolts with the Force and Hux daren’t risk it. A knife between his ribs would be poetic, but Hux really abhorred the sight of blood. Besides, killing Ren on this mission would make Hux look unequivocally, and he couldn’t afford to lose his position. His betrayal would have to wait.

After a long moment, Ren’s hand slid from the surface of the door. An earth-shattering _boom_ split the air. The ground shook beneath their feet, throwing Hux off balance for one disorienting moment before he caught himself. The agonizing grate of stone-on-stone rent the air as the massive doors swung inward, revealing a maw of swirling darkness. 

The gathered men stepped forward, peering into the void before them. It was an uninviting sort of darkness. The air from within smelled of mildew and the ancient decay of cold, damp places.

“Charming,” Hux quipped. His sardonic reply was promptly ignored.

“Can you feel it?” Ren asked, breathless. “This place is strong with the Force.”

“Well how would I know?” Hux snapped. “I’m not a Jedi.” 

The corner of Ren’s mouth twitched in a facsimile of a smile. “No, you most certainly are not.” Not even giving Hux the opportunity to be offended, he vanished into the darkness.

“Lovely,” Hux sighed as he followed the Supreme Leader into the mouth of the abyss.

The corridor’s interior was as musty and vile as it had seemed from the outside. Though the oppressive heat of the jungle was gone, it was replaced by the nagging chill of underground places. The crystalline _ping_ of water dripping onto stone echoed through the tunnels. Combined with the faint groaning of airflow, it painted an unsettling backdrop for their errand. The white beams of their electric torches seemed unnatural for such an ancient place. Wrong. 

There were more carvings inscribed on the walls, half swallowed by moss and eroded by centuries of water running down the stone. Ren’s fingers traced their shapes, his lips moving in silent recitation of their words as he followed their trail. Every so often, their corridor would fork into three or more divergent paths. When this occurred, all Hux could do was stand and wait for Ren to decipher the scrawls of the past and lead them deeper into the heart of the temple.

The further they delved into the temple’s depths, the louder the wind became. The steady drip of water became a trickle, and then a rush. There must be a subterranean river nearby, Hux realized. The thought did not comfort him. Other, less distinct sounds reverberated through the structure. Sounds like moans of pain, or chanting voices.

A particularly strong gust whooshed down the corridor and bit at the exposed skin of his face. Hux fought a shiver. In front of him, his men were exchanging looks, their faces wan and drawn. None of them dared challenge the Supreme Leader, but even without Force sensitivity all of the men could feel that their trespassing had upset the balance of this place.

Ren didn’t stop, though, so they trekked deeper.

After hours of navigating winding tunnels and moldy corridors, they emerged into a large egg-shaped chamber. A pale orb lay in an indent in the center of the room. Ren raised a hand, his outstretched fingers tugging at the Force until the sphere flickered, settled, and rose into the air to illuminate the space around them.

It sailed vertically until it brushed the crown of the dome, some sixty-odd feet above their heads. When the orb settled into place, its light caught the exquisite beetle shells that had been embedded into the stone. Refracted off of the pearlescent sheen, the chamber exploded into light. Hux cursed and shielded his eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the sudden brightness.

After a few disorienting seconds, his eyes adjusted and blinked open. The troopers gasped. Hux took a step back. As the light shone in its mirrored dome, it revealed three massive statues, each twelve feet tall. Two of them were standing between the pillars on the far side of the room and one more raised behind them, overseeing all.

The first figure was a woman with flowing hair and a gentle face. Despite years of concealment underground, the vivid jade stone of her hair caught the light until it seemed as if it were waving in an unseen breeze. Her robes were as light and gauzy as the rest of her. On her shoulder rested a wide eyed convor.

The second stood on the far side of the chamber. He was garbed in stiff black and red, the spokes of his collar—reminiscent of the old Empire’s symbol—jutting out from his neck like a mane. Red streaks had been drawn on his bald head and trailing from his eyes. And oh, those eyes. Red irises peering out from the twin black voids. There was something in his gaze, something dangerous. Predatory, even. But most of all, seductive. In his hand he held a stone dagger.

Between the two, the final statue was that of an old man. His wizened visage spoke of years of turmoil. The lines next to his eyes showed a heavy strain. And yet they still held a soft fondness as he looked on to the two figures in front of him. His grey robes were not as heavy as the young man’s, but not nearly as light as the woman’s. There was something paternal about him. Not like Hux's father could compare at all to this man. He didn’t think he had ever seen kindness in Brendol Hux's eyes.

“Old saints?” RJ-1387 asked, his shaking voice echoing sharply on the walls. Everyone else tensed, expecting the noise to rouse something in the temple. But no threat came. Cautious, Ren stepped forward and examined the figures with an appraising eye.

“Not saints. These are the Ones. The Son, who embodied the Dark side; the Daughter, whose realm was the Light; and the Father, who maintained balance between them. Immortal Force wielders that resided on Mortis until the Clone Wars.”

“What happened then?” Hux demanded.

Ren took a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “The stories vary, but the most popular theory is that my grandfather killed them.” Ren saw the troopers puzzled looks and explained further. “There was a prophecy that my grandfather was the Chosen One. He who would bring balance to the Force. The Father brought him to Mortis to show him his destiny, but something went wrong. My grandfather’s padawan, Ahsoka Tano, was killed. The Daughter gave her life to resurrect the girl. And grandfather killed the Son and the Father and abandoned the planet.” 

“Your grandfather? Darth Vader?” 1387 sounded horrified. Hux couldn’t blame the man.

Ren shook his head. “Back then he wasn’t Vader. He was Anakin Skywalker.”

A rumble shook the temple. Hux and the other troopers were thrown to the ground as dust rained down from the distant ceiling. His heart thundered in his chest. _What had Ren done?_

“Skywalker,” a voice boomed. Hux blinked, positive his eyes must be playing tricks on him. But when the statue of the old man stepped forward, his jaw fell open. “You are the grandchild of the Chosen One?”

“I am Kylo Ren.” Ren tilted his chin. “You’re the Father, aren’t you? Some vestige of his power, concealed in an ancient statue.” The Father bent to examine the man he saw before him. To his credit, Ren didn’t quail under the intense scrutiny of the statue’s piercing blue eyes.

“There is conflict in you, young one. Like there was in him,” the being mused. He examined Ren’s face for a long moment more before nodding and rising to his full height. “Yes, you are Anakin Skywalker’s blood. But that is not all that you are.”

“I came here looking for an object. Something hidden here by Sith loyalists centuries ago. It will help me to understand this bond.”

“Bond?” The word was out of Hux’s mouth before he realized it. Ren shot him a glare.

“There is a girl. She’s untrained with the Force, but stronger than she knows. My old master he- he claimed to have forged a bond between this girl and I. We can see and hear each other across lightyears, feel each other's thoughts and even interact. But it hasn’t faded since Snoke’s death and I need to understand what it is.”

Ah. Well, that explained Ren’s desperate hunt for answers. He was searching for the scavenger. Surely that made him a traitor, if he could see into the girl’s mind. Was he giving her First Order information? The Resistance _had_ been winning all of their recent conflicts. Was Ren an informant? 

_Soon,_ Hux swore to himself. _Soon I will destroy you for this._

“A dyad.” This new voice was feminine and lilting in a pleasant way. The Daughter stepped forward, hair and robes billowing around her. “A most rare connection.”

Ren’s brow furrowed. “What is a dyad?” The Daughter drifted down to stand before him, her hands folded demurely in front of her as she alighted on the ground.

“It is a bond almost unheard of. A connection like life itself, reaching across time and space to connect the two that are one. Two people who share the same soul in the Force.” Her fingers brushed over Ren’s cheek and she smiled warmly down at him. “You have been given a rare gift, Kylo Ren. Take care that you protect it, and her, from any that would do you harm. For what happened to one happens to the other.”

Hux shifted his weight, unable to look at the Daughter. 

“Ohhhhhhh I like this one.” A smooth, seductive male voice crept through the air. His voice carried with it a fierce cold that turned Hux's blood to ice. The Daughter recoiled as the Son stepped forward. “There’s darkness in you. Take my hand, let me guide you. We can destroy the Sith together.” Ren glared at him.

“Snoke is dead. I am all that’s left of the Sith.” The Son cackled.

“Wrong! Your old master is indeed dead, but let us be perfectly honest with each other.” The towering figure bent at the waist, thrusting a finger in Ren’s face. A cruel undercurrent entered his voice. “You are _not_ a Sith. There is another rising in the Force. A presence that has not been felt for decades. Can you feel it? The anger, the rage, the passion?”

The Son took a deep breath and sighed, delighted. 

Hux became aware that there was a sound bleeding through the walls of the temple chamber. At first it seemed hardly more than a whisper, an echo of a memory. But the sound crescendoed until it surrounded them, reverberating in their very bones. A high, cruel laugh. Something Hux knew from old holos from the days of the Empire.

“No,” Ren breathed. A flicker of fear danced across his face before he wrestled his features back into their unflappable mask.

“That’s not possible. Emperor Palpatine was killed at the Battle of Endor,” Hux protested. The flinty gaze of the Son’s eyes landed on him with the weight of a boulder, and the general found himself flinching and stepping back before he ground his traitorous feet to a halt.

“Oh my dear general,” the Son purred. “The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be... unnatural.” Hux's stomach lurched. The mere proximity of the Son made him queasy. The anger that wicked off of the creature was absolute and overpowering. 

Ren caught Hux's eye. The general grit his teeth. He would not let his rival see how much the Son affected him. This was weakness, and that was something Hux could not afford to show. Not in front of his men, not in front of these things, and most certainly not in front of Ren.

But he was only a man, and the Son was powerful. Hux wanted to scream, wanted to run. Every fiber of his being was crying out that the creature in front of him was dangerous. Heart pounding, Hux sucked in a breath in a vain attempt to calm his mind. This was worse than facing his father. At least then he knew the pain would end. But the Son’s eyes were inescapable. Hux was trapped.

“You still haven’t told me if the artifact is here.” Ren’s voice drew the monster’s attention away. Hux stumbled, gasped. He was free from the crushing weight of the Son’s eyes. Ren’s eyes flicked to his own for a mere moment. If he hadn’t known better, Hux would’ve sworn that there was a trace of concern in Ren’s eyes. The tall man’s eyes flicked back to the advancing statue and the moment was broken.

_Was this what Snoke had meant all that time ago when he said that Ren had too much of his father’s heart in him?_ He hadn’t meant to overhear it. Hux was a chronic eavesdropper, a skill he had learned at a young age to obtain leverage over those who stood in his path.

“The Sith artifact you seek is not here. However, I can give you its location. Consider it a sign of friendship.”

“Brother, you mustn’t!” the Daughter gasped. “It is forbidden for us to interfere.”

“For you and me, you mean,” the Son snapped. “Do not forget, dear Sister, that it was _Father_ who brought the Chosen One and his companions to our home. It is _his_ fault the balance was upset.” 

The old man hung his head, shame carving itself into his features and silencing his voice. His knees buckled, and the Daughter was at his side in an instant, her arms wrapped protectively around the Father. She carefully pulled him to his feet and shot a venomous look at her brother.

“You never wanted balance,” the Daughter protested. “You wanted to wrest the Force to your favor. You’re trying to do it again now!” The Son waved her protests away with a harsh laugh. 

“My motives are irrelevant. What matters is setting the future on its proper course.” 

Silenced, the Daughter carefully guided the Father to his plinth where the stone crawled up his body like vines around a tree. She followed suit, slowly returning to the lifeless statue she had been.

The Son watched them go and then sighed dramatically. “Thank goodness. I thought they’d never leave.” Hux decided that he hated when the Son was angry, but he hated the monster’s attempts at levity more.

“The artifact,” Ren pressed. Was Hux's mind playing tricks on him, or was there a tinge of desperation in his voice?

The Son stretched out his stony hands towards Ren. “I won’t lie to you, this is probably going to sting.” 

The Son’s fingertips brushed Ren’s brow. Instantly, pain tore across the Supreme Leader’s face. Jagged lines of lightning traced across his skin, trapping him in a net of electricity.   
Kylo Ren’s resolve was impressive. He didn’t scream or try to stop the torture. He grit his teeth, steeling himself to deal with... whatever it was the Son was doing to him. Even when the arcs of energy pushed him to his knees, Ren groaned with effort as he forced himself to stand. 

The Son laughed, high and giddy. He was enjoying inflicting torment.

After an eternity, the Son withdrew. Ren’s knees buckled. He splayed his hands on the dusty stone floor as he sucked in a breath of relief. His body shuddered in the wake of the agony.  
For the first time, Hux had no desire to kill the man. This moment, this pain was something he understood. Memories of his father’s belt snapping through the air sprung to mind. Ghostly echoes of little Armitage’s screams. No, he would not kill Kylo Ren. Not now. Not like this.

A moment passed as the man gathered himself before he pushed himself to his feet. When his face turned up to the Son, there was a resolve that Hux hadn’t seen in the Supreme Leader since Crait, when he had ordered their forces to fire on Luke Skywalker. When he spoke his voice was low and steady.

“I know what I have to do.” 

The creature purred. “Good. Go to Mustafar, Kylo Ren. The key which you seek is there, guarded by Sith cultists. That key will unlock the answers you seek and more.” The Son gestured grandly, his rictus grin unnerving as cold grey stone traced up his arms and legs. “Oh and of course, no one can trace you back here. So sorry.” The last of the stone swallowed his shark-like grin. The temple was silent once more.

One of the troopers started to say something when they heard it. A tremendous crack of shattering stone. The structure shook. Hux's eyes met Ren’s. The rivals stared at each other, their expressions of horror mirrored on the other’s face. And when the roar of water reached their ears, both Hux and Ren shoved themselves to their feet, turned on their heels, and raced to the nearest tunnel.

The moment after they rounded the corner, Hux heard it. The bassy rumble of tons of water tearing through the temple, pierced by the screams of his men. It turned Hux's blood to ice. In a moment of adrenaline fueled clarity, he realized something.

He should never have come to this place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you catch the little Rian Johnson cameo?


	3. Only one can win

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You have got to be joking! Did you bring us here to die?” 
> 
> Ren didn’t even turn back. “Obviously.”
> 
> “I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not,” Hux grumbled. He carefully shuffled onto the ribbon of stone. The distant clatter of pebbles falling made him reel back, sucking in a sharp breath. To calm his pounding heart he tried to count the seconds to estimate the distance, but he was no expert on cave exploration. Even still he knew it was a farther fall than he could survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter! Thank you all so much for sticking with me. I'm sorry this one is up so much later. Life gets in the way sometimes. Title of each chapter is from the lyrics of "This is war" by WAR*HALL and if you haven't yet I highly recommend giving it a listen
> 
> The actual drabble prompt that inspired this fic is in this chapter! I hope I did it justice
> 
> "You have got to be joking! Did you bring us here to die?"  
> "Obviously."  
> "I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not."
> 
> @mysterio833 I hope you like this story of mine! I'm glad to have written it for you ^^

Hux's heart thundered in his ears. A fierce and steady beat pounding out the rhythm of survival: _run, run, run._ The water level was steadily rising. His boots splashed with every step, adding a layer to the symphony of terror that was reverberating through the decrepit temple.

The Supreme Leader shoved past him with the strength of a mudhorn. Hux stumbled, caught himself on the wall, and kept running. Ren didn’t look back. The man was tearing through the tunnels as if guided by some unseen force. Or rather, the unseen Force. Hux was left with no choice but to follow. He was practically blind in the oppressive darkness, following Ren based off of the sounds of splashing and heavy breathing. 

“This must have been built around an underground river,” Hux panted. “There’s no other way there could be this much water!”

“Shut up, Hux.” Ren snapped. “We can figure the mechanics out _after_ we escape.”

For once, he made sense.

Left. Right. Right. Forward. Left. Not a word more was spoken as they ran. The tunnels echoed with the screams of the troopers. And then their cries cut off; silenced by the rush of water growing ever closer. 

Just when it seemed that they were destined to succumb to the tidal wave crashing behind them, Ren turned sharply to the right. Hux blinked in the darkness, his eyes struggling to see why they had stopped. After a moment, he saw it. They were at the foot of a mossy staircase. Needing no prompting, Hux leapt up the stairs, skipping steps in his desperation to reach the top before the wave reached him. _Climb, climb, climb_ his pulse begged.

He reached the top a moment before Ren. Eyes slowly adjusting to the dark, Hux looked behind him. The water was raging down the hall and had begun to creep up the stairs. 

Hux wanted to stop to cheer, to breathe. Ren was already turning, already seeking their freedom. He hadn’t led Hux astray yet, and a tentative alliance with a Force user in a booby trapped temple was a good choice. Groaning, Hux sprinted after him.

He wondered if Ren had known. That was a stupid question. Of course he hadn’t. Hux had seen the look in his eyes as the floodgates had opened. The terror. The spark of desperation. The intense regret. 

No, Ren hadn’t known about the trap.

Surely, he should’ve felt it in the Force. Then again, the Supreme Leader was different as of late. Distracted, obsessed, determined. Figuring out his connection to the scavenger was what drove him these past six months. 

Certainty coiled in Hux's belly like a serpent. Ren could not be trusted to lead the First Order. He was too dangerous. It was for the greater good. He had to be stopped.

Ren skidded to a halt before a fork in the road. The man slowed his breathing as he examined each door in turn. Hux trotted to a stop behind him, doubling over as he leaned back against the damp wall. Exertion was for the ground troops, not officers, and Hux could taste the metallic tang of blood in his throat.

When he finally caught his breath, he raised his head to find a room lit with a pale green glow. Some of the paintings on the walls shone with luminescent paint. They cast odd shadows on Kylo Ren’s face, changing its composition until the man looked like a monster. Feeling Hux's stare, Ren leveled his brown eyes on Hux's green ones.

Hux broke the silence.

“Well, Ren, you’ve clearly a knack for getting us into dangerous situations.”

“And you have a talent for being blind to opportunities that could give us strategic advantages over the Resistance,” Ren snapped back. “Tell me, General, do you really think I would drag the First Order all the way out here if it weren’t to give us an edge?” Hux straightened, his temper flaring.

“Well given your orders ever since you became Supreme Leader, I’m not sure what I think.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You have dragged us across the galaxy on a fool’s errand chasing ghost stories! I mean,” Hux gestured around them. His laugh was giddy and maniacal. Ren eyed him. The general wasn’t normally like this.

“How is this a fool’s errand?”

“The Ones are an old legend, and it was _explicitly stated that they died!_ Yet you think it wise to come out here because there’s a _chance_ that the temple houses a relic that could give you the answers you want. Then the answers you want are about the scavenger Rey—”

“Don’t say her name,” Ren growled, fists balling at his sides.

“—who killed Snoke and has escaped you not once, not twice, but three times! How am I supposed to know if you’re a traitor or not?”

Hux's head cracked against the stone wall. Stars exploded across his vision. Ren’s face was inches from his own; Hux could feel the man’s breath ghosting on his lips. Their faces were so close Hux’s vision was blurry and useless. The only part of Ren in focus were his eyes. Feral eyes, burning Hux with their intensity. 

He sucked in a breath. Or at least, he tried. Ren had pinned him to the wall with his hand wrapped around Hux's throat. It was then that Hux realized the nature of the situation he had brought upon himself. Underneath Ren’s hand, he swallowed sharply.

Armitage Hux had royally fucked up.

“Listen to me, _General,_ ” Ren snarled. “I know that you don’t trust me. The feeling is mutual. But without me, without my leadership, the First Order is nothing. I am Snoke’s successor. You will give me the respect I am owed, or the First Order will find itself down a general. And you will never, _ever,_ mention Rey to me again.” 

A part of Hux’s mind realized faintly that this was the first time he had heard Ren call the girl by her name. Was he imagining the tremble in the man’s voice when he said it? He couldn’t possibly—did Kylo Ren care for the girl? Hux refused to call it love. A man like Ren was incapable of something so profound and human as love.

“Ren—” Hux rasped, cringing at the pain of speaking. The man’s fingers cinched tighter around his throat, silencing whatever he had been about to say.

“I brought us to Iurilia so I can destroy her or turn her to our cause. If I discover the nature of our bond, not only will I understand our enemy better than she knows herself, I’ll have the key to her downfall. That is the purpose of my mission. I am the Supreme Leader, Hux, and I will not be second guessed by a man like you. Do I make myself clear?” 

He shook Hux like a ragdoll. Meteors danced across the general’s vision as his skull bounced off of the wall, pain lancing through him like lightning.

“Crystal,” Hux choked out. Ren glared. Then, he pulled away and Hux dropped to his knees, hand flying to his throat. It was definitely going to bruise.

Ren retreated to the opposite wall, folding his arms and leaning against it with a cocky tilt of his head. The rage was still roiling below the surface, but he hid it well. That was Ren’s way, after all. He hid behind a mask. 

The tall man watched Hux assess the damage to his throat, lips pursed into a thin line until the red haired man stood and dusted off his uniform.

“We should go,” Ren stated, voice hollow. “We’re close to the exit. I can sense it in the Force.” Hux coughed gently, his voice raspy.

“Forgive me if I don’t have faith in you at present.” Despite his temper, a half-smile quirked Ren’s lips.

“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” 

Hux gaped at him. “Did you just—” but Ren was already striding down the far tunnel. For the umpteenth time today, Hux was left with no choice but to follow.

The silence was oppressive.

Hux usually enjoyed silence where Kylo Ren was concerned. It was better than his fits of rage that left scoring on Hux's ships and terrorized his soldiers. This silence, though, was tense. It hung thick in the air between them, melding seamlessly with the dampness of the underground tunnels. 

As they walked, Hux could practically see the gears turning in the Supreme Leader’s head. The revelation about Palpatine had shaken Ren and, not that he would admit it, Hux as well. The man was a legend, a figure blown to mythic proportions. The stories about the man were infinite and outrageous. Apprenticed to one of the greatest Sith Lords ever to exist, capable of hiding right under the noses of the Jedi council, and the man who turned Darth Vader to the dark. He had always seemed cemented in the past. Now, he was returned. 

Ren was unsettled by it nearly as much as Hux was, he realized. No, it was more than that. Ren was afraid. Afraid of the Emperor? Or of another powerful Sith? It didn’t matter, really. It just meant that Ren was even more dangerous than he had been. Hux would have to be extremely careful around him. Provoking him would be disastrous for the entire galaxy, and Hux couldn’t afford to take that risk.

Hux was so absorbed in his thoughts he didn’t see that Ren had stopped until he collided with his back.

“Now what is it?” he snarled.

“Watch your step, General,” the man said plainly. 

Hux glanced down at his feet and swallowed sharply, wincing as his throat ached. Some pebbles tumbled over the edge and down into the pit. The temple was so dark Hux hadn’t seen the abyss. 

Reluctantly, he mumbled a thanks to Ren. The man nodded once, then ignited his lightsaber and held it in front of them. Its erratic light was barely enough to see by, but it was enough for Hux to know that he had a very bad feeling about this. 

They stood at the edge of a vast chasm about three hundred feet across by Hux's estimation. Hanging stalactites dripped down into the pit. Hux ran a hand over the mouth of the tunnel they had just exited. The surface was textured, hollows and protrusions unlike the carvings they had seen thus far. They were in a cave.

There was a path across. About a foot wide, it skirted around massive stalagmites and stalactites and wove across the chamber like a snake. Ren was already stepping onto the narrow path. His shoulders were squared with confidence. Hux balked.

“You have _got_ to be joking! Did you bring us here to die?” 

Ren didn’t even turn back. “Obviously.”

“I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not,” Hux grumbled. He carefully shuffled onto the ribbon of stone. The distant clatter of pebbles falling made him reel back, sucking in a sharp breath. To calm his pounding heart he tried to count the seconds to estimate the distance, but he was no expert on cave exploration. Even still he knew it was a farther fall than he could survive.

Hux had always hated heights. 

It was something he had never admitted to anyone. It began when he had been playing in the garden as a small boy. He was climbing on the stone wall that partitioned the upper garden from the lower lawn. A typical Arkanis storm had struck, and Hux has slipped on the rain-soaked stone. He fell four meters and broke his arm. After that, he had done what he could to avoid heights whenever possible.

His head swam as he gazed into the chasm. The terror gripped him, sudden and swift. His legs quaked as if they could no longer hold his weight. Again, the tattoo of his heart pounded fiercely in his ears. He wanted to scream, but the lurch of his stomach kept his mouth shut. Hux pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, the feel of leather on his skin grounding him.

_I can do this,_ he told himself. _I am a General of the First Order. I will not be beaten by a stupid bridge._

“General.” His head snapped up. Ren was standing further up the path, head tilted quizzically. Hux was about to ask what his problem was when he realized that he had stopped his advance.

Never show your weakness. Hux pulled himself up to his full height and tipped his chin.

“Lead the way, Supreme Leader.”

“Why do you do that?” Hux almost didn’t hear Ren ask. He had never heard the man’s voice so quiet.

“What do you mean?” Ren stepped closer, face illuminated by the red of his saber.

“Why do you do it? Pretend that this doesn’t bother you.” 

Hux gaped stupidly, already stuttering out a half-hearted rebuttal. “It’s not— I’m not afr—” Ren lifted his lightsaber, the blade hovering mere inches from Hux’s face. His jaw shut with a painful _click._

“Don’t deny it. I saw the look on your face. This terrifies you. Why hide it?”

“I have to lead our men,” Hux fumbled. “How could they follow me if they saw my weakness?”

“Fear isn’t weakness. I used to think it was. I know better.” Ren leaned closer, crowding Hux. “Fear gives you an edge. It helps you find your strength.”

“Shouldn’t a commander show that his fear doesn’t control him?”

“Peace is a lie,” Ren murmured lowly. “There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength I gain power. Through power I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken.” He leveled his eyes on Hux’s. “The Force shall free me.”

Hux just stared at him, quirking an eyebrow in a silent question. Ren shrugged.

“The Sith Code. Thought you might find it serviceable.”

“Ren, I- I don’t know what to say.” There was a tightness in Hux’s chest, a knot of tension and emotion all tangled up. Best not to unravel it now. Hux cleared his throat and Ren stepped back.

“We should— um, we should probably head on,” Ren spluttered. Hux nodded stiffly.

“Quite right. Lead on.” They hovered there, teetering on the edge of _before_ and _after._

Ren didn’t charge ahead. He slowed his pace, pausing every few feet to look behind him. Hux didn’t stop again. He shuffled slowly, clinging to the natural pillars that dotted the path. But Ren waited for him to catch up before leading them both on; Hux was grateful for it.

They were halfway across now, and on the other side, some pale light filtered onto the stone ledge. They were almost free. From the ledge, the ground sloped upwards toward the light. 

Hux sucked in a deep breath, inhaling the sweet evening air. With every step, he was leaving the temple and its trials behind him and returning to his life. To the First Order. To the war. The web of emotions slackened as he came back to himself. It was a freak event. Whatever he felt for Ren was merely a byproduct of surviving the temple together. Nothing more than that.

Then the true gravity of the situation hit him all at once. Ren knew his secret, and Hux knew his. They were at a stalemate. The warmth cooled, turning Hux’s resolve to ice.

A few paces ahead, Ren was already on comms demanding retrieval. Every trace of emotion was gone, hidden once more under his mask. He gave the men their position, barked a few less distinct orders and then situated himself on a boulder near the exit of the cave. The picture of nonchalance.

Hux scowled at his back.

The only question was how to destroy him? Staging a coup wasn’t enough; although, it certainly would be worth seeing the look on Ren’s face. He couldn’t very well execute him or declare him a traitor. No one would believe him. Their rivalry was well known amongst the lower ranks much to Hux’s dismay. An overt display would ruin his career.

No, his methods to dispose of Ren would have to be more subtle. His own words echoed in his mind. _How am I supposed to know if you’re a traitor or not?_ In spite of himself, Hux smiled. He stepped out into the twilight.

_I will destroy Kylo Ren. If it’s the last thing I do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are so so helpful and very appreciated. Love, Kat

**Author's Note:**

> Translation from Iurilian:
> 
> We welcome you to our village. What is your business here?
> 
> We are searching for a Sith artifact. Once we have it, we'll leave your home in peace Wise One.


End file.
